James Butler, 47, and Ernest Brown, 37, both of Richmond, and Emma Allen, 42, of Ruther Glen, admitted they agreed to possess, pass or conceal counterfeit currency, according to U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Alito Jr.

In exchange, Alito said, the government agreed to drop six other counts against the three.

The three were arrested on May 15 after passing a number of counterfeit $20 bills in the gaming room at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, Alito said.

Each faces up to five years in prison and fines of $250,000 when sentenced by Judge Alfred Lechner Jr. on Nov. 13.

GOAT MUTILATED

FRONT ROYAL - Police are investigating the theft of one goat and the mutilation of a second at a local humane shelter.

Warren County Sheriff Lynn C. Armentrout said the theft and mutilation occurred Thursday at the Humane Society of Warren County.

A female white goat named Snowball was stolen and a brown goat named Star was stabbed in the face, shelter director Patty Morris said.

The goats were given to the humane society three years ago and were part of the shelter's petting zoo, society officials said.

PARAPHERNALIA RAIDS

ALEXANDRIA - U.S. Customs Service agents this week searched two Prince William County record stores that allegedly sold illegal drug paraphernalia.

Dragon Song Records and Tapes in Manassas and Octupus Garden in Woodbridge have been offering for sale pipes and other devices used to "injest or inhale into the human body a controlled substance, primarily marijuana, cocaine, hashish, hashish oil and crack cocaine," according to an affidavit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

Frank Frysiek, special agent in charge of Customs investigations for northern Virginia, would not say Thursday whether any charges had been filed after the raids. Frysiek also declined to say what, if anything, had been seized.

Frysiek said the raids were part on an "ongoing" investigation into paraphernalia sales.